A new chapter in Pine Bluff’s trash service is set to begin Nov. 1 as CARDS takes the reins as the city’s new service provider, with service to begin Nov. 3.
This transition follows a rigorous selection process aimed at comprehensively addressing long-standing issues and fostering a cleaner, more efficient urban environment. Monday’s public meeting at the Pine Bluff Convention Center, attended by engaged residents and city officials, served as a crucial platform to address numerous questions and concerns.
City officials candidly acknowledged that previous trash service challenges were not solely attributable to any single company but rather a confluence of factors, including adverse weather, staff shortages and an aging fleet.
“All of them had challenges. All of them had problems,” Pine Bluff Mayor Vivian Flowers said, referring to past providers. “And that’s because you’re going to have weather events. You’re going to have things that operate outside of the control of the company. Whether it’s people calling in sick, whether it’s people quitting, whether the trucks are getting old, or what have you. Those things happen.”
To proactively counter these issues, the city, in collaboration with Solid Waste Specialists, meticulously crafted a new proposal request. This document laid out stringent requirements for prospective contractors, ensuring a higher standard of service.
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The city engaged Solid Waste Specialists in May to assist with drafting the request for proposal and managing the procurement process. A Solid Waste committee was formed to provide input on desired changes to the new contract. The request outlined four service options, including variations with open or closed roll-off markets and the addition of weekly recycling services.
Among these new stipulations is a citywide overhaul of waste containers. This means all residential bins and commercial dumpsters will be new, functional and aesthetically pleasing, a direct response to the prevalent sight of broken and dilapidated containers that detracted from the city’s appearance, according to Flowers.
“What we wanted to do was kind of start with a refresh. We want all of the containers to be functional, and we want them to look nice because we want our city to look nice. It’s part of beautification,” Flowers explained.
Another critical requirement mandates that CARDS operate a fleet of trucks no older than four years. According to Flowers, this forward-thinking measure aims to mitigate breakdowns and service interruptions that historically plagued operations. The five-year contract perfectly aligns with the expected lifespan of these modern vehicles, promising consistent and reliable service throughout the agreement, she said.
“If we’re going to sign a five-year contract with a new company, we want to get to the end of our contract without the trucks getting to the end of their life cycle, if that makes sense. So that we wouldn’t have to deal with trucks breaking down, etc. So that’s why we had that as a standard,” said Flowers.
A significant enhancement for residents is the introduction of weekly brush and bulk item pickup, scheduled on the same day as regular trash collection. This eliminates the prior requirement for residents to call in for appointments, a change expected to significantly reduce instances of illegal dumping and improve the overall tidiness of neighborhoods.
“We wanted regular pickup of the brush so people didn’t have to call. They could just set it out there and have it picked up,” said Flowers.
The contract also emphasizes responsive customer service, obligating CARDS to address resident issues and complaints within 24 hours, excluding major calamities or weather events.
“Outside of any calamity and weather events, we put a 24-hour requirement for people’s issues to be addressed. Doesn’t mean that everything will be resolved in the same day, but you will get a response,” she said.
To bolster accountability, the contract includes “liquidated damages,” essentially fines or clawbacks for service failures. “If it’s egregious, if it’s on the same day, the company misses five pickups in the same day, after that, every pickup that’s missed is $100,” Flowers explained. “There are some egregious actions that fines $5,000, $500, $3,000. No company that’s a for-profit company wants to lose money for not doing the work.”
Adding another layer of transparency, CARDS trucks will be equipped with technology to film and document pickups, providing irrefutable evidence of service delivery and missed collections, benefiting both the company and residents.
Crucially, CARDS has committed to establishing a local call center and a hauling station within Pine Bluff, using local workers.
“That was very, very important so that there wouldn’t be a situation where you’re calling with an issue and the call rolls over to an out-of-state call center or to an out-of-the-country call center,” Flowers emphasized. The company is also exploring the future development of a transfer station, promising further economic benefits to the community.
Regarding billing, residential services will continue to be integrated with Liberty Utilities water bills.
Commercial and industrial clients, however, will be billed directly by CARDS. Concerns about changes to service days were addressed with assurances that CARDS is diligently working with the city and the outgoing hauler to maintain existing schedules, aiming for a seamless transition.
“We’re working diligently with the city of Pine Bluff and the incumbent hauler to ensure that your service day remains consistent with the schedule that you have right now,” Kody Yandell, regional municipal manager with CARDS, confirmed.
To prevent missed pickups, residents are advised to place their carts out as early as 6 p.m. the evening before their collection day. Proper placement is crucial: Carts should be on a hard, flat surface, free from obstructions, with 3 feet of clearance on all sides and the opening facing the curb with the handle toward the home.
The list of unaccepted materials remains standard for municipal solid waste, including batteries, propane tanks, paints, automotive fluids, pesticides, household chemicals, medical waste, electronics and flammable or explosive materials. For bulk and brush waste, residents are permitted up to 4 cubic yards per weekly pickup, equivalent to roughly four standard polycarts.
While minor excesses will be accommodated, larger volumes may necessitate phased pickup or prior arrangement with CARDS. Sticks should not exceed 4 feet in length.
Unlike previous carriers, residents are now permitted to place bags of yard waste, such as leaves and mowing clippings, directly into their regular trash cans.
A resident asked, “If I have bags of brush and leaves in a bag, do they have to go in my container, or would you pick up the bags?”
Yandell replied: “They do not have to go in your container … So the brush and bulk service that we’re offering to the city of Pine Bluff allows us to pick that up as it sits next to the can.”
The issue of misplaced waste or illegal dumping on vacant lots was clarified as a code enforcement and potential law enforcement matter, not a direct responsibility of CARDS.
The CARDS call center will be situated at the Jefferson Industrial Park, alongside its hauling service. “We’re in the process of buying our building right now. In our building, we’re going to host our hauling service. So, all of our trucks will be dispatched out of that location. All of our operations and mechanics will be in there as well,” Yandell shared, adding that the building “has the ability to be set up as a call center.”
Initially, the call center will employ between two and five representatives.
Employment opportunities are available on CARDS’ career page, and the company is actively working with the incumbent hauler to offer positions to their existing employees. A dedicated employment event is scheduled at the Pine Bluff Regional Chamber of Commerce, 510 S. Main St., from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday.
The new contract also includes provisions for scheduled “roll-off days” through the city, similar to previous free dump days. For missed pickups due to company oversight, CARDS is contractually obligated to resolve the issue within 24 hours of notification, preventing residents from having to wait until their next scheduled pickup.
The city will receive daily reports on missed pickups to monitor performance.
On the subject of rates, the new residential rate will be slightly higher, moving from approximately $18 to $19. However, the rates are locked for the first year, and subsequent increases will be tied to the consumer price index, capped at a maximum of 4% annually, even if the CPI rises higher.
CARDS had the lowest rate among all proposals. While not immediately implemented, CARDS has provided pricing for a recycling program, which the city may pursue in the future after public town hall events. Side door pickup will be offered for residents unable to transport their trash to the curb; residents will need to contact customer service to arrange this service, as previous documentation from the old hauler will not automatically transfer. Finally, if a trash can is damaged or stolen, CARDS will replace it with a container of the correct, consistent size. However, stolen containers will incur a replacement cost for the resident.
CARDS has already placed orders for new residential carts and commercial dumpsters and will begin deploying them in the coming weeks to ensure a seamless service change for all Pine Bluff residents.